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Maria José
Barbosa:
“Education for
children is the
base for a
Humanity with
more love and
respect to one
another”
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Spiritist
Education for
children is an
extremely
important theme
within the
Spiritist
Doctrine. Our
movement needs
to get stronger
and increase our
precious task of
teaching our
children. They
will be tomorrow’s
adults. This
task is very
hard but
developed with
care, love and
dedication the
volunteers who
are working on
it.
Our week’s
interviewee
brings awareness
to this topic.
Maria José
Barbosa (picture),
is known kindly
as Zezé. She is
a very
experienced
Spiritist
Teacher who has
been living in
London for the
last 27 years.
Her greatest
passion is to
work with our
children.
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O Consolador:
Zezé, where were
you
born?
In Vitória da
Conquista,
Bahia.
O Consolador:
Where do you
live nowadays?
I live in London
since 1982.
O Consolador:
What made you
leave Brazil?
The reason why I
left Brazil was
the lost of my
daughter. I
decided to leave
Brazil in 1978.
i lived in
Beirut for many
years, and then
moved to London
O Consolador:
What is your
education level?
I finished the
Secondary
School, but was
not able to get
to GCSE level.
O Consolador:
What positions
have you had
within the
Spiritist
Movement?
I have been
through
different
positions with a
spiritist
centre, since
started at
Fraternity 17
years ago.
O Consolador:
What is your
current activity?
I am the
vice-President
of the group
SWCSS (1).
Within this
group, I
coordinate the
Parents’ Group
meeting and a
mediumship group.
I am also
responsible for
Spiritist
Education for
Children and
Youth in the
United Kingdom.
O Consolador: When
did you have
your first
contact with
Spiritism?
I started to
sudy Spiritism
17 years ago in
London. At that
time, the group
Fraternity
Spiritist Group
was starting.
This occorred as
a consequence of
the lost of a
very dear friend
of mine.
O Consolador:
Was there any
special fact
that made this
contact
available?
Yes, there
was. Once I was
very sick and
developed second
sight
mediumship.
O Consolador:
What was your
family’s
reaction?
Minha formação é
evangélica, mas
quando me tornei
espírita minha
família me deu e
ainda me dá o
maior apoio.
O Consolador:
Which of the
triple aspects
of Spiritism (science,
philosophy and
religion)
attracts you the
most?
Religion and
Philosophy.
O Consolador:
Which Spiritist
Authors do you
like the most?
Valter Barcelos
in terms of
education
material. Chico
Xavier as well.
O Consolador: Which
spiritist books
do you consider
essential to
those who are
starting to
learn about
Spiritism?
The books from
Chico Xavier,
Divaldo Franco,
plus The
Spiritist's Book
and The Gospel
According to
Spiritism.
O Consolador:
When did you
start to get
interested in
Spiritist
Education for
Children?
It probably
comes from a
previous
encarnation,
since the love
for children is
very strong
within me.
O Consolador:
What is the
importance of
Spiritist
Education for
Children for the
movement and for
the society ?
Education for
children is the
base for a
Humanity with
more love and
respect to one
another. Jesus
said: “This is
my mandament:
Love one another
as I have loved
you " (John
15:12).
O Consolador: Do
you believe this
activity is
being well
developed within
the Movement? Or
do you think
there is a lack
of incentive in
order to develop
this work?
There is a long
way to go, and a
lot of work to
do. I believe it
is a work that’s
done from the
hear. It is a
difficult job to
be understood
and accepted by
the spiritist
centres. It
needs to be
valued as
education for
the spirit. This
will pass since
the work of the
Christ does not
belong to us; it
belong to Him.
O Consolador:
How is Spiritist
Education for
Children being
developed in
London? What is
the
participation
from the parents
in this process?
I see it much
more active
today. We are
doing combined
work among the
Spiritist
Teachers within
other groups,
integrating the
centres and
disclosing the
work done with
Children. The
spiritist
teachings are
all done in
English, and
most of the
children’s
parents are
Brazilians.
O Consolador:
What would you
like to tell the
spiritist
parents, as a
spiritist
teacher?
We need to take
into
consideration
the thoughts of
the spirits.
They said it is
fundamental to
form a new
society, that is
conscious of the
importance of
bringing your
children to the
centre. The
society needs to
reflect on the
mission of the
parents, who are
educatiors and
moral examples
for the
children. It is
the parent’s
duty to assume
the role of
orientator of
the family.
O Consolador:
How about the
issue of
abortion? What
is your opinion
about it?
We should have
campaings at the
spiritist
centre. We, as
spiritist, have
the task to work
effectively
within this
movement.
O Consolador:
Have you had
contact with the
spiritist
movement in
Brazil?
I have contact
with the
movement within
different parts
of Brazil.
Thanks to our
dear Elsa
(2), who
helps me a lot
with this task.
Our dear Joca
(3)
also supports
us, as well as
our dear
spiritist
teachers.
Without them, it
would not be
possible to
continue with
this beautiful
work.
O Consolador:
How do you see
the level of
criminality and
violence that
seems to
increase in
Brazil and
around the
world? How can
we, spiritists,
help to change
this situation?
We need to
campaing
spiritist
teachings for
children in our
centres. We need
to show parents
the importance
of having an
edducated child,
spiritualy
speaking. A
spiritualised
child learns to
respect one
another. We need
to teach
Christ’s
teachings
intensively.
This will renew
the work, bring
man closer and
develop charity
and love at
everyone’s
hearts.
O Consolador:
The preparation
for the advent
of a world of
regeneration in
our planet
already gave its
first steps, as
we are aware of.
How long will it
take for Earth
to stop being a
world of tests
and atonements,
and become a
world of
regeneration?
This will happen
when we become
real spiritists.
We have been in
this ‘school’
for many, many
years, and have
a long path
ahead of us. We
need to learn
with Chico
Xavier: "Life is
an advanced
course of
improvement,
through daily
effort and fight
".
O Consolador:
What is
Spiritism for
you? What is the
importance of it
in your life?
It showed me a
new way; a new
path with the
transformation
of my moral
values. As I
studied
Spiritism, I
could see the
one next to me
as my brother. I
also learned to
accept my
defauls and that
I can improve
everyday, as a
person.
Spiritism means
everything to
me. That’s why I
try to work in
favor of life.
Notes:
1. SWCSS is the
acronym for the
institution Sir
William Crookes
Spiritist
Society, located
in London.
2. Elsa Rossi
leaves in London,
and is the 2nd
Secretary for
the
International
Spiritist
Council.
3. Joca or João
Dalledone is the
President of the
British Union of
Spiritist
Societies – Buss
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